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Hephaestion
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 Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:27 pm Post subject: BC: high schools to introduce course on gay/lesbian issues |
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Just heard on CBC Radio: in response to a lawsuit by a gay Vancouver couple, the BC government has agreed to create a course for BC grade 12 students that will focus on "scocial justice" issues, and will include an examination of gay and lesbian issues. It will be an elective course and (I think) will be introduced next year. (I missed part of the report, and I can't find a report online yet.)
CBC is reporting that in response to this announcement, the couple has announced that they will drop their suit.
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West Coast Tiger
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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Oh my gawd! The so-cons are going to have a COW! Anybody planning to take a stroll to the Dark Side soon? 
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RealityBites
Satan Incarnate
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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Here's the media release from the Correns (the couple who made the complaint):
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINANTS REACH SETTLEMENT
VANCOUVER - A negotiated settlement of a long-standing human rights complaint, brought against the Ministry of Education by Murray and Peter Corren has been reached. The couple were seeking, through the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal, the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity topics to the B.C. schools curriculum.
Part of the settlement includes the development of an elective course for Grade 12 students that will explore the nature of a just and equitable society by focusing on social justice issues. The new course, Social Justice 12, will offer students opportunities to study the legal, political, ethical, and economic perspectives that inform Canadian concepts of justice, equality, and equity. Content will include topics such as race, ethnicity, gender, family structure, and sexual orientation. The course will be piloted in the 2007-08 school year, with full implementation in September 2008.
The province will also establish a process and a schedule to review the entire B.C. curriculum to ensure that it reflects inclusion, respect, and social justice for the diverse groups that today make up BC's population. Reviews will be conducted as each course or area of study comes up for regular revision by the Ministry of Education.
"We are delighted with this agreement, and we shall make every effort to work cooperatively with the Ministry in implementing the terms of this settlement," says Coquitlam teacher, Murray Corren. "British Columbia will be leading the way for the rest of Canada in ensuring its curriculum makes room for the diversity of all students."
The Correns will be withdrawing their complaint as of today.
"Our goal was to make schools welcoming places for non-heterosexual students and families," says Peter Corren. "I believe this settlement will help to provide a safe, inclusive learning environment for everyone". |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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If you listen reeeeeeally hard, you can hear Randy White's blood vessels popping, from where you currently sit.
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Tehanu
More or less, more or less
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:14 pm Post subject: |
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Grade 12!?!!? OMG that's FAR too young to be dealing with such controversial issues. What are they thinking. I'm shocked. That'll make them, what, 17? 18? They must be sheltered! Up with the barricades!
| Quote: | | If you listen reeeeeeally hard, you can hear Randy White's blood vessels popping, from where you currently sit. |
Hee. Actually, Heph, I thought that was someone playing with bubblewrap, but you're right. It's pretty loud, huh? |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Tehanu wrote: | | Grade 12!?!!? OMG that's FAR too young to be dealing with such controversial issues. What are they thinking. I'm shocked. That'll make them, what, 17? 18? They must be sheltered! Up with the barricades! |
Actually, in all seriousness, I agree with your point. This kind of thing needs to be presented in *elementary* school, but grade 12 is a start at least. A kid is never too young to teach tolerance and even (good grief!) acceptance.
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Cartman
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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| It sounds like a pretty good class. I would like to know how many opt for it. I really disliked the way high school in my time did not even allow students to talk about anything remotely political. Teachers were afraid of saying things openly. I think this is a great idea, but it is too bad it had to come to this before it was implemented. |
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West Coast Tiger
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:28 pm Post subject: |
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hmmm... I wonder if there are any more similar lawsuits out there across this great nation of ours???
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RP.
Fulltime enMasse Member
Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Hephaestion wrote: | | Actually, in all seriousness, I agree with your point. This kind of thing needs to be presented in *elementary* school, but grade 12 is a start at least. A kid is never too young to teach tolerance and even (good grief!) acceptance. |
(I was almost going to start another thread on this)
We started teaching our daughter about GLBTQ issues when she was about 3. We try to teach her about everything that's going on currently in the world, and it was part of an over-all theme against prejudice.
About the only way we could make it relevant for her was to explain it in terms of families with two moms or two dads, or two boys or two girls who like to go on dates. She also now knows what the rainbow flag is about.
(She has a basic understanding that courtship involves a guy saying "Hey baby, wanna go to Burger King?" and then they go and get supper from the drive through and sit in the parking lot. We all know that this is in fact how all straight courtship goes, but I don't feel qualified to tell her if queer courtship is quite the same. I assume it is though.)
I have no idea if this is the right approach, or how much of our own latent heterosexism gets through to her otherwise. I hope though that it lays a good foundation for when we go into greater depth.
Any other suggestions on how to make GBLTQ issues relavent to a now-5-year-old (and her brothers who will soon understand a bit more than food)? |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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Good question. My experience with kids that young is limited, so I'll be interested in what others suggest.
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RealityBites
Satan Incarnate
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:36 pm Post subject: |
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| So does your daughter think vegans are asexual? |
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RP.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| RealityBites wrote: | | So does your daughter think vegans are asexual? |
 There must be something on the BK menu for vegans... |
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vee michel
Nothing comes from nothing.
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
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Location: a very calm place with lots of sunlight and right angles...
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | I have no idea if this is the right approach, or how much of our own latent heterosexism gets through to her otherwise. I hope though that it lays a good foundation for when we go into greater depth.
Any other suggestions on how to make GBLTQ issues relavent to a now-5-year-old (and her brothers who will soon understand a bit more than food)? |
Last week in preschool, two little girls were playing with toy pandas. One explained to the other that you can "tell which one's the mommy and which one's the daddy" by turning them over and looking underneath. The girls checked and, surprise, both were mommy pandas.
The girl shrugged, said "I guess this one is a mommy and a mommy, and this is their baby," and went about her play.
The teacher intervened: "This one can be a daddy that just looks like a mommy. But it's really a daddy. You have a daddy, and a mommy, and a baby!"
I think these are the ways we teach our children about sex. No parents sit down with their preschoolers and say "now we will learn about heterosexuality. This is the correct way to behave." Instead, they reinforce the heterosexual norm countless times throughout the day in instances like what I've described above.
This is how children learn, and I think teaching tolerance is best done the same way. Instead of thinking about how we teach tolerance, sometimes it helps to think about how we are teaching intolerance. Kids are naturally open-minded about things. It's up to us to look at how we reinforce heterosexual norms, and try to keep ourselves from doing so to our children. We could set up a situation to teach kids positive attitudes about same-sex partners, but it's a lot more powerful to keep them away from negative attittudes in the first place.
It's been my observation that little kids will naturally put 2 mommies in the playhouse every once in a while, or have GI Joe ask Ken on a date. Not because they are trying to bash heterosexual norms, but because they are just being little kids: fun, unpredictable, inattentive, and creative.
Without fail, adults will stop this. They'll jump up to find the daddy doll. The first thing to do is to stop jumping.
I'm not GLBT so I'm hesitant to jump in and say "this is how we should teach about GLBT issues!" I do think that kids learn incidentally and through play, and they are already learning about homosexuality incidentally and through play through instances like what I described above. It drives me nuts when people talk about kids being too young to learn about gay people -- we teach them about it negatively from the moment they are born, practically.
So how would I teach pre-schoolers about GLBT people and tolerance? First, I'd let them have 2 panda mommies whenever it struck their fancy. Second, I'd set up some same-sex play instances myself. For example, if we're playing Barbie and she has Ken ask Barbie on a date I might have GI Joe ask Ken on a date. Check her reaction. If she rolls with it, awesome -- if she says that's not right, talk about it. I'd take the daddy dolls out of the playhouse every once in a while, and when she says she needs the daddy doll say "it looks like this is a house with 2 mommies." Little things like that over time establish expectations.
Instead of emphasizing same-sex pairings, you can de-emphasize them. Set up situations where they happen, and just let them happen without comment -- from that, she'll learn that 2 mommies in the playhouse are an ordinary option and not anything to get excited about. Hopefully she'll grow into an adult who thinks the same about 2 people in a real life relationship.
But like I said, I am straight and am basing this more on experience with little kids than on any great understanding of queer issues. So if I'm being clueless or advocating something unhelpful, please tell me! |
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RealityBites
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:25 pm Post subject: |
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| vee michel wrote: | Last week in preschool, two little girls were playing with toy pandas. One explained to the other that you can "tell which one's the mommy and which one's the daddy" by turning them over and looking underneath. The girls checked and, surprise, both were mommy pandas.
The girl shrugged, said "I guess this one is a mommy and a mommy, and this is their baby," and went about her play.
The teacher intervened: "This one can be a daddy that just looks like a mommy. But it's really a daddy. You have a daddy, and a mommy, and a baby!"
Instead, they reinforce the heterosexual norm countless times throughout the day in instances like what I've described above. |
What you call reinforcing the heterosexual norm, others might call introducing the children to the fact that some straight guys enjoy crossdressing.  |
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vee michel
Nothing comes from nothing.
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| Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I was actually rolling on the floor when she got to "it's a daddy that looks like a mommy." The poor teacher, bless her heart, had absolutely no idea what was so funny. And the kid was just lost. If you turn some daddies over and check, you'll realize they are actually mommies? Whatever... let me play with my pandas. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:22 am Post subject: |
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An interesting point from the 365gay.com version of the story...
| Quote: | Last week California Gov. Schwarzenegger said he would veto legislation requiring schools to teach LGBT history. The measure had passed the Senate but was still pending in the Assembly.
While the B.C. course will be optional, the California legislation would have mandated schools to teach the course.
California already requires that African Americans, native peoples, Mexicans, Asians and Pacific Islanders be included in textbook descriptions of "the economic, political and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society." |
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West Coast Tiger
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 7:42 am Post subject: |
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vee... I think you are on to something there.
I'm not a member of the GLBT community. Nor am I a parent. But I felt like seeing what I could contribute here...
I decided to run a search to see what is out there for straight and LGBT parents in terms of teaching their children more about acceptance and tolerance. I wasn't surprised to find that there is very little in the way of resources for teaching/working with very young children. But here's what I did find:
Books seem to be the most common approach. And there are many books to choose from. The ones I have linked here are for the much younger age groups.
As well, there are several authors to be on the look out for, including these ones, from what I've read. (Community Kids link.):
Leslea Newman
Barbara Lynn Edmonds
Nancy Garden
The books written by these authors seem to cover a ride range of ages.
There are a list of publishers and a list of LGBT family organizations on that Community Kids link.
----
There is also a site that helps teachers to promote tolerance and acceptance of the LGBT. The site is called Colage.
They offer some valuable tips that I *think* can be applied in the home as well -- at least to some extent:
| Quote: | 1. Always intervene whenever you hear anti-gay language or actions.
...
2. Ask about a student's background instead of making assumptions. Create a classroom where each student is able to share freely about their identity and families. Use language that is empowering to youth with LGBT parents.
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3. Visually show your support. On your walls include a poster about diverse families (perhaps one of the educational posters offered by COLAGE) or other images that show you are an ally to LGBT people and issues. You can also use Safe Zone posters which are commonly used by teachers to make a statement against homophobia.
...
4. Avoid heterosexism in your classroom and assignments. .... If you assign family origin or family tree projects, allow youth from LGBT families to make their own decisions about how they portray their families whether it is two parents of the same gender, or multiple parents who co-parent them, etc. As much as possible use gender-neutral language in both classroom in informal conversations
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5. Include Topics about Diversity in your curriculum: Study different kinds of families, famous LGBT people (and when someone you are studying anyway is a LGBT person, mention that). Have speakers, use videos, and books to show students that diversity is something to be celebrated. |
There are more tips at the link, tho some probably wouldn't really apply in the home. But I can see how the above tips could work in the home:
1. I think it's fundamental to step in when you hear kids using inappropriate anti-LGBT language. But that's probably a given.
2. Creating an environment where kids can ask questions and get REAL answers is important, I feel. Knowing that the topic is not off limit might help to kill some of the stigma that homophobes will try to brainwash kids with. I think it's important to make it an open topic - so long as the child is comfortable. Using the proper language and definitions will also help, I believe -- misinformation is always out there.. better to clear up confusion at an earlier stage. Also, I feel that endorsing the proper definitions and language will benefit children and make them comfortable with the language. I have no idea at what age a parent should start giving the proper definitions -- I assume when the child is old enough to ask: "What does ____ mean?" I would assume that is at the discretion of the parents.
3. I also believe that having a poster around the house might be a helpful visual -- even a rainbow -- so they can at least identify the rainbow as a very positive image, an image with diverse meaning, and an image that their parents support. Just an idea...
4. As vee mentioned, allowing kids to use their OWN language when describing relationships in art or crafts and general dialogue is important. They don't need to be corrected and they should be allowed to explore the possibilities. Another example I thought up is of creating activities where kids can explore via drawing. A parent could say, "Today, let's draw a picture of a house with TWO dads and two kids." And discuss any questions or comments that the child might have. I think creativity without ever forcing the ideas on the child can go a long way.
5. I also feel that discussing famous LGBT celebrities with perhaps an older group of kids is another excellent technique. And there are so many out there... Elton John, Nathan Lane, Rosie O'Donnell, Angelina Jolie, K D Lang, Ellen DeGeneres, Melissa Etheridge, George Takai... Some of these people are really in the spotlight these days - as such, I think it's easy to open up conversations.
I also feel that taking your kids to a Pride Fest is an excellent way to introduce kids to the LGBT community.
There is also a list of definitions, resources and videos at the bottom of the Colage site. Furthermore they have a book list for anyone from the LGBT community that is considering becoming a parent. They also seem to provide some posters for kids for those who are interested.
I think the best way to start kids off in the right direction concerning LGBT is for parents to be the perfect role-models. Kids are always going to look up to their parents for guidance in all things. I don't think this issue is an exception at all -- we can teach them what is and what is not appropriate through our own actions and words.
Anyway... I'm NOT an expert and these are just some things I thought I should toss in. I'd really love to see more out there on how parents and teachers can teach children on tolerance and acceptance (especially with regards to LGBT) from a preschool age. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot out there on this, sadly. It's one area that we really need to work on.
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Hephaestion
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West Coast Tiger
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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Done Heph.
Sorry if it was a bit of a drift... But your article and vee's comments started my wheels grinding.
ETA: And thanks for the links! 
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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Oh, I didn't think it was drift, WCT. I just thought those books might be a good addition to the list, as a reference for others who want them long after this thread has sunk 'way 'way down from disuse...
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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Complaint filed against Surrey radio station over call-in show regarding BC schools "Corren agreement"
| Quote: | A man calling himself a concerned citizen has filed a Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) complaint against RED 93.1 FM, accusing the Surrey-based station of presenting "a very poor image of gays and lesbians" on a Jan 31 morning call-in program.
Robert Greene says he was channel surfing on his car radio when he came across the Harjinder Thind show. There, he claims, he heard the guest interviewee, Len Remple of the Parents for Democracy in Education, allege that he had "tangible evidence or tangible proof that California and Michigan have gay-friendly curriculum that tells students to try gay sex."
"I think that's what bothered me first," says Greene, adding "there's no curriculum in any place that I know that promotes any sort of sexual activity, be it gay or straight."
When contacted for comment, Remple maintains what he said was California and Michigan "were teaching about it" in their curriculum.
Remple says he appeared on Thind's show primarily to let people in the Sikh community know about the Corren agreement.
[...]
Greene claims he heard Remple say on-air that the BC government "has secretly put in curriculum that is gay-friendly and that they didn't check with Health Canada."
Remple says the BC government insufficiently publicized details of its agreement with the Correns. |
Greene maintains that he called in to the show to disagree with Remple, but he was never allowed to speak on-air. The station disagrees that it showed any bias, and Greene's complaint has gone to the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council -- a self-regulatory industry group -- via the CRTC.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:57 am Post subject: |
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Compare this to the situation in Tennessee:
Tennessee bill would ban gay reference in schools... It's the Hot Pink Menace! Cover your ears and say "nyah nyah nyah as loud as you can!"
| Quote: | For one state lawmaker, it's a disturbing trend in public education: Tennessee middle school teachers attending seminars on how to teach about transgender people and a Massachusetts kindergarten class being taught about homosexuality.
State Rep. Stacey Campfield, a Knoxville Republican, has proposed legislation to forbid "any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality" in Tennessee elementary or middle schools.
[...]
Campfield said he is afraid Tennessee will go the way of California, which last year essentially banned anything in public schools that could be interpreted as negative toward homosexuality, bisexuality and other alternative lifestyle choices.
"They've banned using 'mom' and 'dad' in books," Campfield said. "This is not what our schools should be focused on."
[...]
Tennessee teachers should neither be promoting nor speaking against homosexuality, Campfield said. "They should not talk about it all," Campfield said. "Leave it up to families to talk about it."
[...]
Each school district adopts a family life curriculum that includes input from local parents on whether it should include topics like homosexuality. A survey by the state comptroller's office last year found that most local school districts taught "age appropriate" topics that did not include the topic of homosexuality. |
It was so much easier when y'could just tell yer kids to avoid blacks, but those homersekshewalls... it's like some'a them's invisible, 'coz they don't ALL lisp and prance, believe it 'r not. Only safe thing t'do is not to talk about them at all... ('cept at home and in church and at the gym and in the street and everywhere else, where we'll make it plain what gawd 'n every red-blooded 'murcain thinks 'bout them faggits.)
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 4:02 am Post subject: |
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Anti-gay Tennessee school bill effectively killed for this session
| Quote: | Members of Tennessee's LGBT community spent most of the day lobbying lawmakers, successfully helping derail one bill and voicing strong concerns about another that would severely restrict gay rights in the state.
The derailed bill would have barred elementary and secondary schools from "any instruction or materials discussing sexual orientation other than heterosexuality". The other would ban unmarried couples from adopting or becoming foster parents.
The school bill was filed by state [representative] Stacey Campfield (R) and was heard today in a House subcommittee.
[...]
The committee agreed to send it to the state Department of Education for further study, a move that effectively killed the measure for this session of the legislature. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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Mark @ "Slap" reports that Catholics are bitching about "non-heterosexual realities" in the classroom
| Quote: | The Catholic Civil Rights League has launched a protest against a draft teacher's guide in British Columbia. The guide, entitled Making Space, Giving Voice, was introduced by the Education Ministry to encourage discussion about diversity and is part of a larger review to ensure discrimination isn't promoted by schools.
So what's the Catholic League's beef with the guide? Well, according to a press release entitled Resist, Counter and Protest, the guide is all about the B.C. Education Ministry's "drive to introduce non-heterosexual realities" in all classrooms.
Non-heterosexual realities? Hey, I think that's a new entry for my still-growing Dictionary of Obtuse Lobbying Terms! (Though, it is a little unusual for a lobby group to flat-out admit they're protesting reality.)
[...]
Lobby groups often oppose the discussion of diversity in schools. In November, the anti-gay lobby group Defend Traditional Marriage and Family successfully banned a teacher's resource on diversity from the Waterloo Catholic School Board, saying that the booklet could have [encouraged] students and teachers to view the gay lifestyle as being morally neutral. |
More, including links, at link above.
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TS.
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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It's long, long past time to abolish the Catholic school boards. They suck public money, our money, into black holes where prejudice is taught.
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Doug
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| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:10 pm Post subject: |
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At least they're admitting that they don't want to live in reality.  |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 8:05 am Post subject: |
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No skipping gay-friendly classes, schools tell parents
| Quote: | The Vancouver board of education says it plans to enforce a ministry policy that prevents parents from pulling students out of classes that deal with alternative sexuality.
A recent staff recommendation from the Vancouver board of education says parents can pull their children out of sensitive lessons in health classes because of religious or family beliefs, but can't opt their children out of gay-friendly lessons in any other classes.
The recommendation, released Friday, sets out detailed guidelines and procedures the district intends to distribute to schools.
"We're expected to do that by the [Education] Ministry, so it's not something we've initiated of our own volition," said Ken Denike, a Vancouver school board trustee.
According to ministry guidelines, students can only opt out of the health portions of Health and Career Education K to 7, Health and Career Education 8 and 9, and Planning 10.
They aren't exempt from the lessons completely and must learn the material outside the classroom setting, by home instruction or self-directed studies.
They also have to prove they've learned the material.
Edward Da Vita, a spokesman for the Catholic Civil Rights League, said he would prefer parents be able to pull their children out of any class containing controversial material.
"The problem now is that controversial subject matter can be brought up any time, anywhere, and there is no reasonable alternative delivery available for that," he said.
The league has long fought the policies, claiming parents have the right to remove children from any classes they find objectionable. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject: |
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The courses based on the Corren Agreement go into effect this fall with the start of the school year (today) in BC.
Brian Hutchinson, via the Gnashional Post throws a histrionic hissy fit, complete with "scare quote marks" and commentary from The Usual Bigots.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2008 11:48 am Post subject: |
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Hansman: BC schools still not protecting queer students; some districts still allowing parents to pull children from 'objectionable' courses
| Quote: | More than a year after the BC legislature passed safe schools legislation, Glen Hansman says he's disappointed that several school districts have yet to change their codes of conduct to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Hansman also says it's "unacceptable" that some districts are still allowing parents to pull their children out of any classes they find morally objectionable — despite government policy to the contrary.
Hansman, a gay education activist, is also president of the Vancouver Elementary School Teachers' Association. His statements are based on freedom of information requests he filed under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) in March.
[...]
Hansman says Bond has not replied to his letter, in which he offered to provide her with copies of all the district responses to his freedom of information request.
"I find it discouraging at this point," Hansman says.
"I know it's difficult for the ministry to track down this information.
"There's so many school districts and so many people involved but someone has gone and done it for them and compiled it nicely," he notes.
"I have all the data from school districts. I'm willing to share the full documentation with them," he offers.
"I'm doing it not to be accusatory," he adds. "I understand how bureaucracy works. It takes a long time for change to happen within the system." |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:23 pm Post subject: |
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Gay-friendly course halted by Abbotsford school board
| Quote: | Abbotsford high schools have been prevented from teaching the controversial new Social Justice 12 course because the local school board wants to review its content.
The elective course, which deals with issues ranging from homophobia to animal rights, has caused controversy amongst religious groups that worry it's too malleable to the individual beliefs of teachers.
One school - W.J. Mouat secondary - scrambled to modify the course, removing content about homosexuality, after the board said it couldn't be offered this semester.
W.J. Mouat began promoting the course early this year during course planning, said social studies department head Leanne Abrey. Ninety students had signed up for it.
It wasn't until the beginning of the summer, she said, that the board told the school the course couldn't be offered until the final version was approved.
The school rushed to take out parts of the course and expand on others, creating a new course called "Global Studies and Active Citizenship," Abrey said. She said the course no longer contains sections on homosexuality and gay and lesbian rights.
[...]
Last year, McKay said, a draft of the course was released and the board responded with a number of concerns.
In that letter, the board said it thought the course was better suited to university-level students and that high school teachers may not be trained to tackle the complexities of human rights acts and other laws covered in the course.
"Many of the issues and topics are very sensitive and encroach on areas of family values, beliefs and practices," reads the letter. "Some resources and related discussions may leave students feeling alienated or threatened rather than feeling accepted and respected for their opinions and perspectives."
[...]
Irene Lanzinger, president of the B.C. Federation of Teachers, said the board's move is unusual and troubling.
"I can't say for sure, but I suspect that the content of the course that the Abbotsford board had difficulty with, was the content around the rights of gay and lesbian people. The issues around homophobia. And that is very problematic," she said.
"It is ironic in a way, because I think the reason for the creation of Social Justice 12 was precisely because children who are gay, or who have parents are gay, they don't see themselves reflected in the curriculum as much as they should be."
Abbotsford school district board chair Cindy Schafer said the class has been controversial in the district.
"We've had a number of board meetings when we've had members of the public coming in fair numbers expressing their concerns," she said, adding they are mainly worried about "the rights of parents." |
Up next: Abbotsford school board removes any mention of African Americans from Black History Month...
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TS.
Delicious schadenfreude
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| Posted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Also up next, province sued again for failing to live up to settlement agreement.
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 1:09 pm Post subject: |
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Correns file human rights complaint against Abbotsford School District
| Quote: | Murray and Peter Corren say the district discriminated against students at W. J. Mouat secondary when it cancelled Social Justice 12 despite more than 90 students wanting to take it. They've asked the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal to intervene.
[...]
Abbotsford officials say they're reviewing the course because of parental concerns, and the board has not yet decided whether it will be offered in future. The Correns say the parents who have complained are objecting to content dealing with sexual orientation, gender identity, homophobia and heterosexism because of their religion, but B.C. schools are required to be secular.
[...]
Earlier, Education Minister Shirley Bond said boards have a choice about whether or not to offer elective classes, but Murray Corren said the Abbotsford situation is different because the course was offered and then pulled. "It would have been an entirely different matter if the course had never (been) offered," Murray Corren added. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 10:36 am Post subject: |
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NB: GVRD EM-ers: Abbotsford Rally to support queer kids TODAY!
Well, it started with : Gay-friendly course halted by Abbotsford school board
And then progressed to : Correns file human rights complaint against Abbotsford School District
The next twist in the tale was last month: Abbotsford pride parade quashed by online protesters
| Quote: | Plans by a group of Abbotsford high school students to hold their community's first gay pride parade were halted after hundreds of people protested their efforts online. Instead, the youths have joined forces with other equality advocates to organize a "social justice rally" Dec. 6.
Sixteen-year-old Chantell Gregg created a Facebook page to organize a pride parade in Abbotsford, originally planned for Nov. 15. Gregg, who has had a friend beaten up at school for being gay, said Abbotsford needs to confront homophobia.
But before her event got off the ground, a Facebook group opposing the idea had popped up too. On that group, which had 364 members Sunday, posters debated the Bible's stance on homosexuality and advocated a "straight pride parade."
"No one wants to see a pride parade in ABBOTSFORD organized by a bunch of sexually CONFUSED pre-teens who believe they are gay or bi," reads the group's description. "Homosexuals can commute to Vancouver for the parade."
[...]
Seeing that the teens needed support, John Kuipers of the University of the Fraser Valley pride group stepped in, helping them instead organize a social justice rally promoting all kinds of diversity.
The event will also protest the Abbotsford school board's cancellation of the Social Justice 12 course, which includes teachings on gay rights.
Gregg and Kuipers said the change of plans isn't a failure, but a way to get more support from other social justice groups and create a more inclusive event. |
Xtra also covered the story, adding the following info:
| Quote: | Chris Meyer, a Grade 10 student at Abbotsford Collegiate, knows what it's like to be on the receiving end of homophobic bullying at school. He says he's been physically harassed and had anti-gay slurs aimed at him in three separate incidents at school over the last few months.
Meyer says he was in a group of two or three friends talking when a Grade 11 student came up behind him, spun him around and slammed him against a wall.
"I smacked my head against the cement and I was bleeding a little," Meyer recalls. "My friends were like, 'Leave him alone' and pushed him off."
Meyer says the student called him a fag after the attack.
He says when he reported the incident to the school's vice-principal, Patti Tebbitt, she allegedly suspended the student for two days.
Meyer says when he told Tebbitt that a two-day suspension was too short a punishment and that the student should be expelled, he himself was suspended for two days.
Xtra West's attempts to reach Tebbitt proved unsuccessful up to press time.
Meyer says he now sees his alleged attacker at school from time to time and receives "dirty looks" from him.
"At this point, I'm kind of afraid and I am afraid he's going to get his buddies after me," says Meyer. "School is supposed to be a safe environment, but when I'm there I don't feel safe."
[...]
A panel discussion following the Nov 27 screening of The Times of Harvey Milk in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Milk's assassination elicited strong support for the Abbotsford rally among audience members.
By the end of the discussion, the Vancouver Pride Society, The Centre and Out on Screen were coordinating transportation to Abbotsford for Vancouverites wanting to support Gregg and the rally. |
HOWEVER... not content to let matters be, Abbotsford city officials have tried a last-minute ploy to wreck the efforts of march organizers:
Abbotsford city officials tell march organizers to re-route or else
| Quote: | Abbotsford city officials have ordered organizers of tomorrow's Social Justice march to change their gathering point or else face a fine of $100,000.
"They have basically this new plan that we were — I won't say forced into," says rally co-organizer John Kuipers.
The city's route change is disappointing, says Kuipers, because it is "a lot less visible."
When Kuipers asked officials why the route had been changed, he says he was told the march was projected to attract over 200 people, more than the city permit for the event allowed.
But Kuipers says city officials knew from the start that organizers could not anticipate how many marchers would participate, and advised them to get a highway use permit for 200 people or less anyway.
According to Kuipers, city officials told organizers that if more than 200 people showed up "there's nothing we can really do about it." Now Kuipers says the city is "claiming that conversation never took place."
Abbotsford's manager of bylaw and animal control says he has no comment on that alleged conversation.
[...]
Kuipers says he remains undaunted by the city's eleventh-hour changes.
"The city is creating barriers but we have resiliency and we are still going to pull through with the event," he insists.
"We still hope that it won't deter anybody from coming. We hope that maybe more people will come in light of this, who knows?"
Kuipers says while he's making "every reasonable effort" to try re-route people to the new meeting point, it's inevitable that people are going to show up at Abbotsford Community Services.
The Centre's executive director Jennifer Breakspear says there's no plan to re-route the three buses leased to take Vancouverites to the rally. The buses will leave The Centre on Bute St at 9 am as originally scheduled and proceed to Abbotsford Community Services.
[...]
Abbotsford parent Terry Stobbart says she and "a lot of people" plan to walk from Abbotsford Community Services in spite of the city's last-minute change to the start point.
"I have spoken with several individuals who are extremely angry over this situation," says Stobbart, whose daughter helped organize the September Abbotsford protest against the dropping of the provincially-approved Social Justice 12 course which includes queer content.
"By their very actions," Stobbart says, "the city officials are proving to be just as intolerant as the school board.
[...]
Abbotsford Social Justice Rally.
Dec 6, 11 am. [That's TODAY!!!]
Meet at Abbotsford Community Services, 2420 Montrose Ave
Three buses will leave The Centre at 1170 Bute St, 9 am.
The buses can seat 144 people on a first come, first served basis.
Carpooling is appreciated.
Further information at: www.vancouverpride.ca, www.lgtbcentrevancouver.com, www.outonscreen.com.
The buses will return to Davie St at 3 pm. |
Abbotsford -- the Alabama of British Columbia...
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:55 am Post subject: |
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Queers flout Abbotsford council's edict, stick to original parade route
From the "comments" section at Xtra:
| Quote: | We weren't hidden!
Well, if they wanted to hide us, they failed. A huge Pride Flag was held proudly to provide a safe barrier for marchers, dozens of Pride Flags were waving, signs with a wide variety of Social Justice messages could be read by hundreds of pedestrians and drivers as we proceeded right up McCallum Road (as originally planned) and across the freeway overpass (which didn't crumble under our weight. Kudos to the Abbotsford Police force. They were courteous and kept us safe at every intersection. A huge GROUP HUG to all the wonderful Vancouverites who came out here to show their support. It was deeply appreciated by your Fraser Valley GLBT friends! You rock! Thank you to every Abbotsford citizen who waved, honked, smiled and recognized us. A big hello, also, to the minority of drivers who stared blankly ahead, hoping not to acknowledge our existence. We still love ya! If visibility is what Abbotsford officials were trying to prevent, then they failed miserably.
Michael Ross, Mission B.C.
12/06/08 6:06 PM EST |
| Quote: | It all worked out...
How inspiring it was to walk with hundreds of other rally participants along the original route. Once police discovered our large group at Abbotsford Community Services and despite encouragement from organizers to go to the new site, we were determined to be loud, visible, respectful and walking along McCallum as originally planned. The police relented, and closed down the left lane facing traffic, and with a police car leading us in safety, we marched along McCallum, over the overpass (police closed it temporarily)and joined the other side where rally participants that walked from the new site Jackson Elementary were waiting with loud cheers. All together we walked along King Road behind the police car all the way to UFV, where they stood in the pouring rain to listen to speakers talk about social justice, the day of mourning for the 14 women shot in Montreal 19 years ago, and students and myself, who all talked about what this rally meant to them I also had the pleasure of reading out loud, Murray and Peter Corren's message to the youth there. Inspiring, powerful messages that all of us greeted with cheers and laughter, joined together in a common cause!
Terry Stobbart, Abbotsford BC
12/07/08 12:43 AM EST |
Good on you GVRD and Abbotsford queers!
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 5:26 am Post subject: |
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Video of Abbotsford rally
Plus, the following comment:
| Quote: | Abbotsford Social Justice update
Abbotsford has started a LGBTQ2 society in response to the intolerance Abbotsford continues to show. Fraser Valley Social Justice Society (FVSJ)is in need of Directors. If you are interested in helping us show Abbotsford we are here. And our students, our adults are not going to be marganalized anymore. Contact me robertjewell@abbygaymen.com This story is not over.
Robert Jewell, Abbotsford BC
12/12/08 9:53 PM EST |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 11:53 am Post subject: |
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BC Fed comes out in support of Abbotsford queers -- "Where is Shirley Bond?" protesters ask
| Quote: | "Where is Shirley Bond, the education minister?" Tim Armstrong of the BC Federation of Labour (BCFL) asked the 300-strong crowd that showed up for the Abbotsford social justice rally Dec 6 to demand the school district reinstate the provincially approved Social Justice 12 course that includes queer content.
"The Abbotsford school board has the responsibility to honour the agreement the government made with Murray and Peter Corren to settle their human rights complaint," Armstrong, the BCFL's gay representative told the crowd. "The Correns entered into this agreement in good faith to settle their human rights complaint," Armstrong continued, accusing the school board of failing to live up to "these responsibilities."
[...]
Xtra West's repeated attempts to reach Abbotsford school board chair Cindy Schafer for comment were unsuccessful up to press time. New Abbotsford mayor George Peary, a former trustee, also did not return Xtra West's calls requesting an interview.
So far the BC government has allowed the Abbotsford school board to carry on with "the discriminatory practices," Armstrong alleged. "The BC Federation of Labour is calling on the premier, the education minister, and the Abbotsford school district to honour the government's agreement and immediately restore the original Social Justice 12 course to the curriculum in Abbotsford secondary schools," he said.
"Until they do," Armstrong added, "I urge you all to write, email and call Shirley Bond and Gordon Campbell and demand that they do the right thing and order the Abbotsford School Board to do just that."
[...]
While Bond says she was "aware of the rally that was held in Abbotsford," she says "the ultimate decision" to offer the course rests with the school board. "And as with any course, I encourage boards to consider the needs of all students within the school district," Bond adds.
"Minister Bond is wrong in saying that it's up to a local school board to decide whether the course should go ahead or not," counters gay teacher and activist James Chamberlain. "Because the school board has censored the course and removed any LGBTQ content, they are contravening the School Act," Chamberlain says, referring to the school board's decision to offer a queer-free version of the course in its stead last term.
[...]
For her part, 16-year-old rally co-organizer Chantell Gregg says she's lost count of how many times she's heard "gay, faggot and lesbo" in her school.
"I was sick of discrimination in schools and on the streets of Abbotsford, and I wanted to do something," she says. "People said, 'Oh, it's not the place for it.'"
Gregg disagrees. "It's the perfect place for it," she insists. "Abbotsford is so behind. They need to catch up. It's getting to the point where I don't want to live here anymore," Gregg says.
EDUCATION MINISTER SHIRLEY BOND.
Ph: 1-866-612-7333.
Email: Shirley.Bond.MLA@leg.bc.ca |
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Hephaestion
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:42 pm Post subject: |
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Activists hold social justice conference in Abbotsford; last fall's rally galvanized people, says Dow
| Quote: | Just days after the Abbotsford School Board decided to allow its secondary schools to offer Social Justice 12 this fall, educators, students and parents gathered to debate the tension between sexuality and religion, and the place of parental consent in education, at a social justice conference in the district.
“Let’s be very clear that when we talk about sexual orientation, we’re talking about the very basic human right we have to have a close, personal, confiding, intimate relationship with the person we choose to — whether that person is of the same sex or the opposite sex,” author and conference keynote speaker Alex Sanchez told an audience of about 160 persons Feb 20.
“Nobody else’s particular religious or moral views — whether they be Christian, Muslim, or anything else — gives them the right to stop another human being from pursuing that basic human right,” says Sanchez, who was raised Catholic and is gay.
People’s right to their religious beliefs in their own lives does not allow them to impose their religious beliefs on others through “censoring school discussions on the topic of sexual orientation, which was attempted here by the withdrawal of SJ 12.” (See page 13)
[...]
But learning is not safe and “shouldn’t be,” says Martha Dow, a lesbian sociology professor at the University of the Fraser Valley.
“What I would argue is we need to decide who we want to silence, and it’s not a very comfortable conversation for everyone,” she told the conference during her workshop. “As we give voice to people who haven’t had a voice, we will create a great deal of angst for our students and we need to find some care for them as we create… not safety. If my students leave feeling comfortable, then I have not done my job,” she says.
Dow also raised the controversial issue of the place of parental involvement in their children’s education.
While she supports the idea of bringing parents into the conversation, what educators need to work out is how to let students know their parents’ beliefs can be discriminatory and hurtful — “and that’s hard,” she admits.
“When Johnny and say, Mom or Dad or Mom and Mom, come and you have the conversation, the way I’d have that conversation is making sure you have principal support [and] administrative support because that conversation is not going to go terribly well — likely,” Dow advises. |
Lots, lots more @ link
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Thu Mar 05, 2009 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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Now its the Prince Rupert Ministerial Association that has their collective panties in a twist...
| Quote: | ... Hogendoorn, senior pastor of the Prince Rupert Fellowship Baptist Church, claims Making Space contains a negative caricature of Christian beliefs in the ways that it treats the concept of heterosexism.
“If you believe in the traditional definition of marriage you’re now a heterosexist,” he says.
“To [then] say, ‘how is heterosexism like racism?’ is an extremely biased and hostile question that vilifies those who hold to traditional marriage,” Hogendoorn continues, referring to an analogy suggested by the document.
Education ministry spokesperson Scott Sutherland says Making Space “does not judge any particular religion or religious group” but instead “promotes awareness and understanding that there is diversity of culture and religion within our society.” |
It goes on (and on and on...)
Waaa, waaa, waaa...
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Feral
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| Posted: Fri Mar 06, 2009 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | “If you believe in the traditional definition of marriage you’re now a heterosexist,” he says. |
Let's see here.
He can go and have (or make a game attempt at having) a "traditionally defined marriage" if he wants to. That's... no more interesting than his taste in ice cream flavors and it's not in the least bit heterosexist.
It's when you go imagining that your own preferences in these matters ought to be inflicted on everyone else... that would be heterosexist.
And it's not "now you're a heterosexist." No. See... "now" folks call it that. Such views are heterosexist and always have been... whether anyone ever bothered to talk about that state of affairs or not.
If Mr Hogendoorn does not want a marriage that does not fit within his particular definition... by all means... he should refrain from having one. That shouldn't prove all that difficult. |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject: |
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Sixteen-year-old Abbotsford activist wins award; Chantell Gregg helped spearhead last December's Pride march
| Quote: | The 16-year-old high school student from BC’s Fraser Valley who faced down threats and fines to spearhead the Abbotsford social justice rally Dec 6 is this year’s champion of diversity for the region.
Chantell Gregg was presented with the honour at the Fraser Valley Cultural Diversity Awards Mar 6.
[...]
Gregg says her winning the award could be seen as a warning to the school board that not everyone in the community thinks the way they do.
The Cultural Diversity Award recognizes those who work at building an inclusive society around issues of age, abilities, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and socio-economic background. It is presented by Abbotsford Community Services.
Gregg’s mother, Lisa, says her daughter faced an uphill battle as she and a determined group of friends struggled to organize the rally.
“She kept a smile on and kept trudging through and fighting for what she believes in,” Lisa says. “I am very, very, very proud of her.”
Teacher James Chamberlain has long fought homophobia in both Abbotsford and Surrey.
He says Gregg’s award shows the status quo need not be maintained and that people can speak out on homophobia.
“I’m thrilled to see her win this award,” he says. “It shows people in Abbotsford that LGBTQ issues are important.” He called the decision to give Gregg the award “enlightened.” |
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 12:44 pm Post subject: |
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Teachers' union: parental consent for Social Justice 12 discriminatory
| Quote: | Requiring Grade 12 students to seek parental consent to take a gay-friendly elective course contravenes the BC Human Rights Code, the Abbotsford teachers union contends.
The union recently filed a grievance with the Abbotsford school board challenging the parental consent requirement to take Social Justice 12.
“I filed a grievance with the board claiming that this kind of action is contrary to the non-discrimination aspects of the Human Rights Code,” Abbotsford District Teachers’ Association (ADTA) president Rick Guenther told Xtra West Sep 3.
Guenther, who filed the grievance at the end of the last school year, says there have since been discussions with district staff but the matter has yet to be resolved.
[...]
But in reinstating the course, the board developed a series of guidelines to govern its offering. Among the guidelines sent to administrators in a memo dated Apr 16 is a requirement that the district superintendent or designate must “annually inform administrators of the requirement for obtaining informed, active, and written consent from parents of any students under the age of 19 enrolling [in] the course.”
The memo also states that school principals must ensure that written parental consent is obtained prior to any student attending the first class of Social Justice 12; that the school timetable be developed in such a way that no student is programmed into the elective “by default, i.e. because no other elective is available;” and that a copy of the Intended Learning Outcomes be made available either electronically or in print form to the parents of any student who selects the course.
Guenther says as far as he’s aware requiring Grade 12 students to have signed permission from parents in order to take the course is unique to the Social Justice 12 course.
“No other optional Grade 12 course has that requirement,” he says. “So in some sense, it’s still receiving some discriminatory or preferential treatment depending on your point of view.”
[...]
Asked why students had to get parental consent for this particular course, Stephen says the board’s feeling was that “they would like that course to move ahead with parental permission” and that that was “their prerogative.” He says the board had heard “a variety of viewpoints” and “felt that was the appropriate process to move forward with the course here.”
[...]
[BCTF vice-president Susan] Lambert told Xtra West that at least 30 new schools across the province are offering Social Justice 12 this year. That’s in addition to the 20 that offered it last year, she notes.
“I’m told that six out of 10 Richmond district high schools are offering Social Justice 12 this year,” she says.
“We found that the ban in Abbotsford was actually helpful in the long run because it drew attention to the course offering and actually resulted in a lot of interest,” Lambert adds. |
lots more @ link
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Hephaestion
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:18 am Post subject: |
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No skipping gay-friendly classes, schools tell parents: the Vancouver board of education says it plans to enforce a ministry policy that prevents parents from pulling students out of classes that deal with alternative sexuality
| Quote: | A recent staff recommendation from the Vancouver board of education says parents can pull their children out of sensitive lessons in health classes because of religious or family beliefs, but can't opt their children out of gay-friendly lessons in any other classes.
The recommendation, released Friday, sets out detailed guidelines and procedures the district intends to distribute to schools.
"We're expected to do that by the [Education] Ministry, so it's not something we've initiated of our own volition," said Ken Denike, a Vancouver school board trustee.
According to ministry guidelines, students can only opt out of the health portions of Health and Career Education K to 7, Health and Career Education 8 and 9, and Planning 10.
They aren't exempt from the lessons completely and must learn the material outside the classroom setting, by home instruction or self-directed studies. They also have to prove they've learned the material.
[...]
Denike said he anticipates some negative feedback from parents and the community as the issue resurfaces. "It's a very touchy subject," he said. "It has to be handled sensitively. It's going to be difficult."
Sean Murphy, another spokesman for the Catholic league, said Vancouver parents might still be able to control which classes children attend. "Any parent who is determined may be successful in getting an exemption," he said. |
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Cartman
Beyond cuddly
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Posts: 8676
Location: OMG! They killed Jason Kenney!
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:18 am Post subject: |
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| I have never been a fan of forcing students to learn. I don't think that it works. It is a failure to teach effectively IMO. |
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TS.
Delicious schadenfreude
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Posts: 14585
Location: Toronto, ON
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:40 am Post subject: |
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I don't see this as forcing them to learn. I see it as requiring them to be in a position to learn. This is leading the horse to water, not making it drink.
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"Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." - Thomas Jefferson |
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bagkitty
Fulltime enMasse Member
Joined: 17 Sep 2008
Posts: 599
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:27 am Post subject: |
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hmmm, if we push their heads into the water, will they drown? just wondering.
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Tehanu
More or less, more or less
Joined: 12 Apr 2006
Posts: 17673
Location: Seceded from the Ford Nation
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:14 am Post subject: |
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Allowing any kind of parental opt-out for classes that cover subjects that the parents may feel unhappy about is a cop-out, in my opinion. If you think your children are going to be exposed to *gasp* ideas you disagree with, talk to them about it in advance. They're going to hear those ideas at some point.
News flash to parents: If they haven't heard those ideas by Grade 12 then you've some much bigger problems.
Notice that the opt-out clauses are given for stuff like sex education or around issues such as LGBT rights?
How about I want an opt out for Home Ec! (or whatever they're calling it these days.) I don't want my kid absorbing weird ideas about gender stereotypes regarding housework.
Oh, and art. Screw my kid learning about art, I find ... er ... surrealism can be harmful to young people as it teaches that not everything is as it seems. Why should their illusions be shattered?
Social studies? No way. Who knows what bizarreness the kid might pick up in one of those classes. They might hear that the world isn't flat!
And don't get me started on phys ed. Torturous, prone to injuries, competitive team sports, nope, nope, nope.
Hell, opt out of naptime in kindergarten. |
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Cartman
Beyond cuddly
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Posts: 8676
Location: OMG! They killed Jason Kenney!
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| I agree that opting out is ridiculous. OTOH, if you have some assclown in a class and their Nazi parents have brainwashed them to hate all non-whites, I am not sure that they would do much good in an anti-racism class. |
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The Evil Twin
Stoned Immaculate
Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Posts: 3748
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | OTOH, if you have some assclown in a class and their Nazi parents have brainwashed them to hate all non-whites, I am not sure that they would do much good in an anti-racism class. |
It may not do much good. But OTOH it may plant seeds of doubt about their parents racial beliefs (and the biological inaccuracy of racial constructs) and the harm such beliefs have traditionally caused. Similarly, a student brainwashed by Christian fundamentalist parents into believing (like Stockboy Day) in ID and that the world is only 6000 years old may not benefit from studying anthropology, biology, physics or geology but it might plant seeds of doubt that their parents are a wee bit off in their timeline- like by a few billion years.
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Tehanu
More or less, more or less
Joined: 12 Apr 2006
Posts: 17673
Location: Seceded from the Ford Nation
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| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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The other thing it will do is take away the illusion that "these things don't matter any more, ___-ism isn't a problem." This can be a particularly common (and naive, but in a way encouraging) attitude among younger folk, who have grown up with LGBT legal rights, and/or hearing that stuff like racist epithets are not acceptable. Certainly, it can be a rude awakening to realize that there are still lots and lots of people out there who are racist, sexist and homophobic (understanding that sexism exists seems to take particularly long).
So while having someone in the class with highly questionable ideas can be a challenge, at the same time, it validates the need to have the class in the first place.
Also, I find sometimes when people have sopped up bigoted ideas from their parents, they may not be all that firmly fixed. I'm all in favour of having them challenged at all levels of the educational system. |
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